Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT)

Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT) targets underlying shame and self-criticism to shift one's style of self-relating and capacity to engage with a soothing-affiliate mode. CFT has a strong evidence-base and has been adapted for diverse presenting problems and populations. CFT can serve as a stand-alone treatment approach, or an effective addition to other evidence-based approaches.

Background

Although there is some evidence on the efficacy of mindfulness-based interventions in improving health and psychological outcomes in women with breast cancer, further research is needed to understand these findings’ clinical significance. Furthermore, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) intervention studies on breast cancer are scarce, and no compassion-based intervention has been tested for cancer patients.

Highlights:

• Compassion Focused Therapy shows promise for treating anger and PTSD in Veterans.
• Treatment dropout was low: 64% of patients completed at least 9 of the 12 sessions.
• The intervention decreased anger symptoms, PTSD symptoms, and fears of compassion.
• Compassion Focused Therapy was endorsed by patients as relevant and enjoyable.
• Further, large-scale study of Compassion Focused Therapy in this area is supported.

Described as a contextual behavioural approach, Compassion-focused Therapy (CFT) aims at helping people develop compassionate relationships both with others and with the self. CFT has been used to promote recovery in psychosis with promising results. The development process of the Compassionate Approach to Schizophrenia and Schizoaffective Disorder (COMPASS) builds upon the available research on contextual behavioural approaches for psychosis.